Mini Countryman Interior Gets Slightly Less Weird for 2013

Mini has  introduced a few running changes to its cheeky, chubby Countryman five-door, including an uprated clutch and making a three-across rear bench seat standard equipment. Now, Mini has announced a few more updates for the 2013 Countryman. The tweaks apply only to the interior, but they address at least one of our complaints about its ergonomics, which we had plenty of time to examine during a 40,000-mile long-term test of a Countryman S. 

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• Comparison Test: Nissan Juke vs. Mini Cooper S Countryman, Jeep Compass
• Long-Term Road Test: 2011 Mini Cooper S Countryman ALL4
• Prototype Drive: 2013 Mini Paceman

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Unless you’ve spent any time in a Countryman, the movement of the window switches from the center console to the door panels—the standard location for most automakers—might seem trivial. It isn’t. Until now, the Countryman’s toggle-style window switches were located low on the center console, weren’t very clearly marked, and were difficult to actuate if you used the cup holders for anything taller than a tealight candle. To accommodate the new switch location, Mini redesigned the Countryman’s door panels and reshaped the armrests. Mini has also added classier-looking trim rings around the dashboard air vents and the giant central speedometer, and the Countryman can be had in two new metallic colors: Brilliant Copper and Blazing Red.

We’re thinking this is a good sign that the next-gen Mini due next year, which we suspect will ditch the pie-plate speedo, also will feature door-located window switches. Yay.

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